Trunintial.

The Pembrokeshire Election took place on Thursday, and was a most exciting affair. The Tory landlords, with one accord, and the great majority of the clergymen, used every influence to bring up voters to the poll. The following was the state of the poll at the close—Phillips (Con- servative), 1194; Owen (Liberal) 979: Majority, 215.

Sir Francis Baring has issued an address to his constituents at Ports- mouth, upon the question of Reform. Sir Francis was sanguine last session that " an effective measure of Reform" would have been passed. The failure did not arise from combined opposition ; public men are agreed as to the expediency of a considerable extension of the franchise. Sir Francis recapitulates the admissions of public men of all parties : he does not attribute mean and selfish motives to public men. " It is difficult to estimate correctly public opinion, but, as far as my opportunities enable me to judge, I believe the opinion out of doors' is not very different from that within.' There exists, I should say, no hostility to all reform—no unwillingness to relax the provisions of the Reform Bill of Lord Grey, but among large classes a strong disinclination to any sudden and great change—serious alarm at the effect of any sweeping measure. I recognize no general approbation of any of the plans proposed either by Government or others ; and I believe the withdrawal of the bill last session was as acceptable to the general public as it was to the majority of the House of Commons. The public mind, I speak it with regret, is not prepared for any extensive measure. I shall gladly find that I am mistaken ni this opinion ; for no man is more persuaded that the change must ulti- mately take place—no man is more convinced of the risk of leaving the settlement to a time of struggle and excitement. But we have to deal with circumstances as they are. The Government have the best means of ascer- taining what prospect there is of carrying a Reform Bill next session. I am, as you will suppose, utterly ignorant of their intentions. If they expect to succeed and bring forward a measure I shall give it, as before, a general support. But my hopes of its passing are not sanguine. The result of 1861 will, I fear, be similar to that of 1860. If there is no fair prospect of success, I hope no proposal will be made. A repetition of what passed last year will neither be creditable to the Legislature, beneficial to the general interests of the country, nor favourable to the cause of Reform itself.' Sir Francis does not, however, think it necessary that all action and improvement shall cease ; he is prepared to support such "partial ex- tensions of the suffrage as may not be inconsistent with a fair represen- tation of the different interests, not as a settlement, but as steps in the right road, apparently slower, but less likely to create alarm."

"I may be told that this is bit-by-bit Reform ' and probably those who are most anxious for great change will be most' hostile to such a course. But &nickname is not an argument, and we must not be led astray by the precedent of 1830. At that time, a large measure was absolutely necessary, and its boldness contributed to its safety. It was wise, too, when the measure was passed, to refuse fora time to reopen the question by partial

alterations. But great changes are not in themselves good ; and, looking back, I think the refusal to amend was enforced too long. It would have been more fortunate if Parliament had earlier consented to extend the franchise, and had done it gradually." Sir Francis has not seen any speech expressing the views he holds; otherwise, he would have remained silent.

A meeting of landed proprietors was held at Romsey, on Monday, for the purpose of considering the best means of improving the dwellings of the labouring classes. Lord Palmerston presided and spoke. Some years ago, when the cholera prevailed generally, a very distinguished medical gentleman happened to be staying at Broadlands- " At my request, he made a medical inspection of this town, and drew up a report, of which a copy, I think, was given to the mayor for the time being, and which is now in the possession of the authoritids of the town. He

stated that there were a great number of habitations which were not fit for the occupation of human beings, that they were destitute of all those ac- commodations and conveniences requisite for a decent dwelling-house, and

that they were positively unhealthy owing to the want of ventilation and the absence of a sufficient number of cubical feet of space for each person who lived in them. I believe that that report was acted upon, and that a great deal of good resulted. There was, I think, a committee appointed for the removal of nuisances, who were very actively occupied, and who, by their exertions, removed in some degree the causes of illness which at that time prevailed; but of course nothing could be done, because the functions of that committee did not include any measures for improving the habita- tions of the lower classes."

Mr. Cowper, M.P., President of the Board of Works, delivered an in- structive and informing speech, in which he gave the audience the benefit of his official knowledge. He reviewed the subject from the time of Queen Elizabeth- " We know that in the time of Elizabeth, when there were no carpets, the floors of even the best houses were strewed with rushes, and we are told, in some of the contemporaneous letters that have been handed down to us, that when a ball took place, and the floors were cleared for dancing, and the rushes were swept away, there arose such a stench from the decayed vegetable matter, that even the most enthusiastic and steadiest dancer hardly ventured to commence the saltatory amusement until the effluvia arising from the floors had in some degree abated."

Mr. Cowper then urged the formation of a society, and instanced the success of the Cottage Improvement Society at Hastings. The society has now been in operation for three years and a half. It has a capital

of 12,0001., in shares of 100/. each, and has obtained possession of 100 houses. It has not built any, but has merely taken existing bosses and improved them. The gross rents they have received have been about 11 per cent on the total outlay, and the net rental, after paying rates, taxes, and insurance, has been about 8! per cent. They have paid every year since they started a dividend of 6 per cent, and have laid by a re- serve-fund amounting at the present moment to 2001.

At Red Hill there is another society, which has been in operation for three years, and, in addition to an accumulating fund, has paid its share-

holders a dividend of 5 per cent. The society. at Windsor has also paid a Der centage upon its operations. In London, the society established in the 6trand have directed their attention to the renovation of old houses, rather than to the building of new ones, and they have realized a net profit of about 41 per cent. The experience of these societies show that it is not, as people fancy, a hopeless thing to get a fair interest for money laid out in this manner. I may describe to you what the London society has done. At Tindal's Buildings, near Holborn, they experienced great difficulty in obtaining possession of the property. Before it came into their possession, Tindal's Court was known as one of the worst nests of fever in the Holborn district; but such a change was produced by the improvement which the society effected during the last year, that there was not a single case of low fever there at all. Another point to which I ought to direct your attention, is to provide lodging-houses for single men. In ordinary cases it is found

that a man living with a strange family; takes up the room that is wanted for others, and he is generally driven to the public house. There is one thing to be avoided in establishing these societies. Care must be taken that the staff is not so large as to swallow up the profit. I think we can fairly establish this good work without any great sacrifice, or without em- barking in it any considerable amount of money. What we have to con- sider is not merely a scheme of pure benevolence and charity, but a pro- posal which, by an investment of our money, will give us a fair interest, and enable us to effect a vast amount of good.

A committee was appointed to form a society under the Limited Lia- bility Act.

A meeting of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce was held at the Corn Exchange in that town, for the purpose of receiving reports from the delegates of the lace and hosiery trade, who went to France on the subject of the French treaty and the Nottingham trade. The delegates representing the cotton and silk lace trade reported that, with reference to cotton goods- " The rates appeared to have been fixed at the limit allowed by the con- tingency of contraband trade, and required by the urgent demands of French manufacturers, viz., 15 per cent. In plain silk nets (resulting from the mis-statements of the French manufacturers) the heaviest silk rates had been levied, namely, 15 per cent, on finished goods ad valorem, and 20 francs per kilo. on unfinished grey piece goods ; amounting, in fact, to a prohibition of such goods until October, 1866 (when they will be admitted free of duty). In all other silk lace goods, a most liberal tariff had been adopted. In conclusion, the delegates desired to acknowledge the very courteous reception accorded to them by Mr. Cobden, for his uniformly careful and patient attention to all their representations, and his pains" taking efforts in every way to second their views." The hosiery delegates appointed by the Chamber to represent that branch of industry at Paris, reported that- " Considering the powerful and untiring hostility of the manufacturing interests of France, and that hitherto hosiery had been a prohibited article in that country, the delegates could not regard the tariff as otherwise than liberal, and a great step in the direction of free trade. Their investigations showed that the French manufactured hosiery extensively, and in some classes well, so that they could not be expected to consume the products of Nottingham industry in the same proportion as the United States or our colonial dependencies ; still, the tariff was sufficiently liberal to admit of a commerce which would render France an important acquisition to our markets."

The delegates also begged to record their thanks to Mr. Cobden for the prompt attention he had given to their applications. Votes of thanks were passed to Messrs. Cobden, Malet, and Ogilvie, the English com- missioners. The chamber also adopted a memorial in favour of the appointment of a British Consul at Abboekuta in Africa. The clergy of the Arehdeaconry of Ely, held a meeting at Cambridge, on Thursday week, to consider the question of church-rates. The fol- lowing resolutions were agreed to-

" 1. That the continued agitation on the subject of church-rates renders it imperative on all churchmen to combine their efforts in defence and sup- port of the Church. 2. That the unconditional abolition of church-rates must be regarded as an act of injustice, as a violation of the implied com- pact between Church and State, and a virtual transfer to the owners of pro- party of a large annual sum in which the poor have a vested right. 3. That as all pretensions of a compromise have been repudiated by the opponents of church-rates, it behoves all churchmen to impress upon the members of the Legislature the importance of maintaining the principle of parochial assess- ments for Church purposes, and at the same time to request them to direct their attention to the removal of the difficulties which, in the present state of the law, beset the making and enforcing of church-rates."

Lord Leigh is still actively engaged in the work of mercy for Coven- try. He makes a practical suggestion ; ladies in buying ribbons should give a preference to the Coventry manufacture.

The inquest at Risen continues. Mr. Gray, the engineer of the colliery, explained the capabilities of the ventilating machines which is one a Struve's patent aerometers, or exhausting pumps, with double cylinders. The diameter of the pistons is 18 feet, and they ordinarily work on a 6-feet stroke at the rate of eight strokes per minute. At this speed, the amount of venti- lation produced ought to be 48,858 cubic feet of air per minute. With an 8-feet stroke at the rate of eight strokes per minute, 65,141 cubic feet Mr. Gray calculated would be produced, and at 10 strokes per minutet the result would be 81,427 cubic feet. There would be no danger, according to Mr. Gray's opinion, in driving the pumps at this increased rate ; but it had never been the practice to go beyond the 6-feet stroke at eight strokes per minute. Mr. Harrison had never required him to produce more air ; in fact, the 6-foot stroke had been adopted by his orders, because he was of opinion that there was quite air enough in the pit. When questioned as to the discrepancy between the air actually produced (37,000 cubic feet), and that which ought to be produced (48,000 cubic feet), Mr. Gray could only attribute it to leak- age in the machinery, and masonry, but the deficiency was equally great, he said, when the machine was first put up. Mr. Gray admitted that some of the valves through which the air from the upeast shaft is expelled into the outer air were defective, but he denied that these defects could anything like account for the whole deficiency of 11,000 feet. Mr. Lewellin, in ex- amining Mr. Gray, on behalf of the company, attempted to show that the difference of temperature between the downcast and the upcast shafts e. between the air going into the pit and that returning from it), had some- thing to do with it, but the Government Inspector pointed out that this difference could not be more than 30 deg. Fahrenheit, which would not ac- count for more than 3000 cubic feet of the 11,000 feet missing. There seems to be no question that the machine was of the best description, and in perfectly good order at the time of the accident. Mr. Gray had no concern with the underground workings, beyond the charge of the engines below for drawing the coals up the slope. The air required for the boilers of these engines formed no part of the 37,000 feet supplied to the workings, and was returned to the surface by an entirely independent upcast.

Another witness explained the practice as to the lamps. The fireman re- sponsible for the ventilation of that part of the pit where the explosion took place, apace to its state eight hours before the explosion ; he found no traces of the " blower " to which Mr. Harrison attributes the accident. But, after a good deal of pressing he admitted that, three months' ago, some of the men had complained of ventilation being "slack."

In cross-examination, Derrick admitted that some of the working places in the Eastern district, for the inspection of which he was responsible, had not been visited for seven or eight hours before the men went into work at five o'clock ; but he explained that he had tried the air returning from theme particular workings later in the night, and contended that if there had been any gas in them, its presence would have been manifested in these returns. His journey through the working, according to his own account, commenced about nine o'clock at night, and was not finished till half-past four o'clock next morning. It involved five or six miles of walking on rough, uneven ground, creeping through narrow passages, "spout-holes," " windways," &c. ; and, to go over it twice in one night, was more than could be expected of one man. Some part of the workings Derrick did visit twice in the night, but there were others which he had only visited once, and that seven or eight hours at least before the men went to work. It was stated that this very neglect formed one of the complaints of Mr. Mackworth, the late Go- vernment Inspector, in a report which he made in 1856. It was contended, on the part of the company, that Derrick had fully performed his duty, but Mr. Brough declared that there could be no doubt that to leave any of the workings unvisited for so long a time was most improper. In seven or eight hours, those workings might have filled with gas without any one being aware of it. Derrick, in answer to this, said that if such had been the ease, the men going to work in the morning would have been made aware of it by the cap of flame in their lamps. There were plenty of care- ful and skilful men in the mine, who were quite as well acquainted with "fire" as he was himself; and, if they had perceived anvigna of the pre- sence of gas in their stalls, they would have retired and given notice of it. Being asked whether any of the men had complained of deficient ventila- tion, he answered that some three months ago one of the men had said that the wind was very "slack," and on the other heed that some of the men had complained of there being so much wind that they were starved with cold at their.

John Bray deposed that he was told by Derrick that all was right, and that relying on that report he allowed the men to go to their work on the morning of the explosion. Many of the workmen have been examined ; they all speak to the safety of the pit on the morning of the explosion. One of them speaks of an ac- cumulation of gas as the cause. The inquest is again adjourned.

A court-martial for the trial of Captain Moorman, R.N., of the Cossack, assembled on board the Victory, on Monday. Captain Moorman was charged-1. With behaving in a cruel and oppressive manner to Isaiah Smith. 2. With causing Isaiah Smith to go on the capstan, on the 30th of April, and in ordering him there to play the violin, after the said Isaiah Smith had objected to do so. 3. With using threatening language towards Isaiah Smith, on the 1st of May, then disrated from musician to ordinary seaman, by telling him, when he applied for a court-martial, 'that if he asked for that again he would give him three dozen.' " Smith deposed- " I am at present under sentence of a court-martial, for desertion from that ship. On leaving Port Royal, on the 26th of April last, a friend sent me off a bunch of green bananas, and, as I was doing duty in the boatswain's store- room, I took them down there and hanged them on the hammock-hook, in the midship part of the store-room, until the lower deck was clear. Captain Moorman, on coming round to me the next morning, said to me, Isaiah Smith, do you know it's against my orders that vegetables of any kind should be hung up here ? ' I replied 'No, Sir, I never heard any word passed in the ship where the vegetables were to be placed.' Captain Moorman

called the master-at-arms, and ordered me to take the vegetables on deck, and I did se. He then ordered seine four-yarn spun yamto be-sent for to lash the vegetables round my neck, and ther ordered me to mount on the capstan, which I respectfully refused, owing to the rating I then held as a petty officer, and also to the rolling of the ship. Captain Moorman then ordered a burton' to be sent down from the maintop, which was hooked on to a lashing made fast round me. I was then triced up, and the hauling part was made fast to the main bitts. In this position, I was kept fron nine o'clock quarters in the morning until eight o'clock at night, and then ordered below by the master-at-arms, and placed, both legs in irons, on bread and Water."

Mr. Russell, surgeon of the Cossack, deposed to having seen Smith on the capstan, but did not see him lashed. Smith had made no complaint to him of any injury he had received in consequence of his being placed on the capstan. Captain Moorman, in addressing the Court, said he must support his officers. He found orders disregarded by the man Smith, and set at nought on the subject of cleanliness at a time when a disease (ulcers) was raging in the ship, and no cause could be assigned for it. Lieutenants Barkley, Keppel, and Shaw, stated the conduct of Captain Moorman towards Smith was of a most forbearing and lenient character. The Court found the three charges not proved, and honourably acquitted Captain Moorman, whose sword was returned to him.

Mr. R. D. Mitchell, of Henley-on-Thames, a retired surgeon of the navy, is accused of the manslaughter of his domestic servant, named Clarke, under circumstances which revive the recollections of the Sloane and Wil- bred case some years ago. Two relatives of the deceased deposed that she had been recently in good health, and one of them testified to such having been the fact at the time of her taking service with Mr. Mitchell. Three witnesses stated, that when calling with daily necessaries at Mr. Mitchell's house, they had been asked by the servant to purchase penny loaves for her, and had done so repeatedly. On two occasions since Christmas—that is to say, since the severe cold set in, the deceased had been observed to look very weak and bad, and when the surgeon was called in on the 4th of January, she presented all the appearances of "a person suffering from cold and want of food." When she was brought into the workhouse her ap- pearance was the same, and the impression that she was a victim of priva- tion prevailed with her attendants. After her death an examination of the body took place, and on the evidence so obtained, opinions were formed to the same effect. Three medical witnesses, in fact, coincided in the general conclusion, that want of proper food and nourishment, long protracted, had brought the poor creature to her grave. Mr. Mitchell is committed for trial at the next Oxford Assizes.

Three keepers were watching in the preserves of Sir Arthur Clifton, at Barton, on Tuesday, when they observed twelve poachers in the preserves, having with them nets and other implements for the taking of game. The keepers had with them powerful night dogs, and attempted to secure some of the gang, when a struggle ensued. The keepers let loose their dogs, and one of the animals immediately pulled one of the poachers to the ground, holding him tightly to the earth. Upon this, another poacher attacked the dog with an iron rod, stabbing it, and thus extricating his companion. After a further struggle, the poachers separated. The keepers immediately despatched a messenger to Superintendent Palethorpe, of the Nottingham County Police, who sent men to scour the country in pursuit of the gang. About six o'clock the same morning, six of the gang, whose names are William MaILIMS, John Wakefield, William Arnold, Thomas Bosworth, Nathan Woodward, and Edward Price, were captured by the police on Rat- cliffe Bridge. The leader of the gang was among them, and was conspicu- ous by his fur cap and plume. Hares and other genie were found upon them. They are remanded.

Charles and Matthew Wedmore were committed for trial by the Burton Magistrates, on Monday, for the murder of their aunt, and attempted murder of their uncle, George and Sarah Waterman, living in a solitary cot- tage at Dundry.

A fatal accident occurred near Boxmoor station, on Tuesday. The Irish mail train was proceeding at its usual speed, when, near Boxmoor station, the engine-driver peceived several plate-layers at work upon the line. He gave the " danger" signal, but the men seemed to be unconscious of the approaching train. Two were knocked down, one killed, and the other so severely wounded that it is doubtful if he will recover.

An engine and tender employed on the Liverpool Dock branch of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, in shunting some waggons upon a high level platform on Monday, got upon the iplatform. Two of the on girders gave way ; a portion of the platform with the engine and tender fell into the street, a distance of twenty feet. The fireman was killed, and the driver much scalded.

The train' called the "limited mail"—th*ame train which a few weeks ago ran into a cattle-train, whilst shunting at the Atherstone station, and killed six or eight cattle owners and drovers who were travelling in charge of the sheep and oxen—was due at the Euston station at 4.37 a.m. on Monday; but, instead of arriving in London at its proper time' was telegraphed as hakeing just passed Wolverton exactly at the moment it should have been at Camden Town' where it stops for the collection of tickets. After leaving Bletchley, the train travelled at a very rapid pace ; near Pinner station, the axle of a carriage broke, and threw several vehicles off the rails. Mr. Craig received such severe injuries to his left leg, that it was obliged to be amputated. An elderly lady had her arm broken. Two other persons were slightly injured.

The axle of a second-class carriage attached to the express-train which left the Paddington station 9.15 a.m. on Monday, broke ; the tires of the wheel flew off, and smashed all the grease-boxes of the carriage, near Twy- ford. The carriage, containing several passengers, was thrown off the rails, and was drawn half a mile before the engine-driver succeeded in pulling up the train. None of the passengers were severely injured.

John Limper, the driver of the up-goods train from Manchester to Lin- coln, after shunting his train at Woodhead, on Tuesday, crossed the line to the lamp-house ; and was returning across the down line, when the express train from Hull to Manchester emerged from the tunnel and cut him to pieces.

A fatal boiler explosion occurred at the Coekshut Colliery, near Wolver- hampton, on Monday. John Yates was passing within a few feet of the engine-house when some of the debris struck him. He was removed to the South Staffordshire Hospital, but died shortly after his admission. At the time the explosion took place, the engine-driver was oiling the gearing im- mediately over the boiler, Some of the scalding water struck him in the face and on the right arm, and he fell to the ground, a distance of twelve or fourteen feet. When discovered by his fellow-workmen, he was partly suspended over the pit shaft, and had it not been for the firm hold he had managed to maintain, he must unquestionably have fallen into the mine. As it was, he was:comparatively unhurt, and in all probability he will be i able to resume his employment n the course of a few days. The cause of the explosion is unknown, though the general surmise is that it arose from the unusual thinness of the boiler-plates. The engine was self-feeding, and at the time of the accident the boiler had the ordinary working quantity of water in it—about 2 feet 11 inches.

The daughter of a wealthy farmer at Warminster, Wilts, formed an at- tachment to a railway policeman, which acquaintance her parents strongly disapproved. Going out for a walk on the 24th of December,.her parents ordered her not to enter any house during her walk. She isobeyed this command, and entered the policeman's cottage as usual ; her mother, who had been on the watch, rushed in, and hurried her home, where her father horsewhipped her, and ordered her to her bedchamber. In consequence of her not appearing next morning, the door was forced open, and the unhappy girl was discovered lying on the floor, dead ; she had taken poison.

While Maccomo, an animal tamer, was exhibiting a Bengal tiger at Liverpool, on Friday week, a tigress caught his hand in her mouth. Mac- come planted his knee in the small of the tigress's back ; pressed her against the cage ; and, seizing her lower jaw with his right hand, held her powerless to do more than retain the left hand in her mouth. Maccomo called to one of the keepers, "She has got my hand fast in her mouth ; get a bar of hot iron." Four or five minutes elapsed before the iron was ready, during which time Maccomo stood as a piece of statuary, not a quiver of lip to show the pain he was enduring. When ready, the hot iron was appliedquickly and surely by one of the keepers to one of the large teeth in the upper jaw ; and, as though she had been electrified, her mouth sprang open. Maccomo, quick as lightning, drew his hand away, caught hold of a thick stick, struck the treacherous animal a terrific blow on the skull, brought her down, and forced her to finish her performance before he left the stage.

The Brig Mignonette, from Surinam, was obliged to put into Plymouth, on Sunday. Excepting Harry Hunt, able seaman, every one on board was affected by fever, and three had died—one from brain fever, another by taking too freely of alcoholic drinks, and the other through lying down in his wet clothes. The survivors attribute their safe arrival in England en- tirely to the skill and perseverance of Captain Selbery, who was compelled to adopt the dangerous alternative of leaving Surinam with a prostrated crew. Captain Selbery was obliged to keep the brig almost exclusively under plain sail. He was for hours at the wheel, and had sometimes to p aloft to furl topgallant sails. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, and that the brig had to lie to three days in a heavy gale, she made a fair average passage from Surinam in forty-four days. The men were received at the Sailors' Home, and are progressing favourably.

The Beehive Mills, Jersey Street, Manchester, were destroyed by fire on Friday week. The Beehive Mills were two five-story buildings, occupied with cotton-spinning machinery. The origin of the fire is unknown.